I’m wondering if some of my habits are more than just being particular. I check that the door is locked several times before bed, even after I watched myself lock it. If I try to leave without checking again, I get this strong feeling that something bad will happen. I also go back and reread messages because I’m worried I accidentally wrote something offensive, even when the message is completely normal.
The strange part is that I know the checking probably doesn’t make sense, but stopping feels almost impossible in the moment. Could these be signs of OCD, or do people with anxiety experience this kind of thing too?
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@William_Klein, the part about knowing the checking doesn’t really make sense but still feeling unable to stop is worth paying attention to. Anxiety can cause reassurance-seeking too, but repeated checking and the fear that something bad will happen if you resist can show up with OCD.
I’d bring specific examples to a therapist or doctor rather than trying to diagnose yourself from the habits alone. It may help to write down how often it happens, how much time it takes, and what happens when you try not to check. There are treatments that can make this much easier to manage.
The “I know it doesn’t make sense, but I still have to do it” feeling is the part I’d mention to a therapist. Anxiety can cause checking, but the repeated action and fear that something bad will happen if you resist can fit an OCD pattern too. Only a professional can sort out what’s going on.
One thing that helped me explain symptoms clearly was keeping a quick note for a week: what I checked, how many times, how intense the fear was, and how long it took. I’d bring that to a doctor or therapist. Try not to seek endless reassurance in the meantime, since that can briefly calm the fear while keeping the cycle going.
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@Erin_Conner, keeping a quick note for a week is a really practical suggestion. I did something similar with my checking and wrote down what triggered it, how many times I checked, and how long the relief lasted. Seeing the pattern on paper made it easier to explain instead of just saying, “I check a lot.”
The reassurance point helped me too. Asking someone to confirm the door was locked would calm me briefly, but the doubt came back soon after. A therapist can help figure out whether it’s OCD or anxiety and work on ways to interrupt that cycle.